[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Tritons Part Deaux
D0NxD0N at aol_com wrote:
> Thanks to everyone who responded to my question about Tritons in an All-Glass
> Hood. I als e-mailed my question to All-Glass and they had an interesting
> response. Here is the message-
>
> "Dear Don,
>
> I talked with the production supervisor at our light shop about your
> question.
> He said the bulb that we use in the light (GE Fresh & Saltwater) is really
> just
> a re-label Triton bulb. The ballast should be able to a handle it. His
> comments were: If it is a used bulb, Tritons have a tendency to not start
> when
> they are near the end of the bulb life. Also, he said to check the starters
> on
> the light."
>
> Is there any validity to this? The tubes that came with the striplight are
> awfully red and I noticed a HUGE difference in the output of light when I
> changed one of the All-Glass fluorescent tubes to a Chroma50. The Chroma50
> was a big improvement brightness wise. I'm guessing I shouldn't see this big
> difference in brightness since Triton's only lose 10% of their output right?
> Any feedback is appreciated.
>
> Don
That can't be true. The GE Fresh & Saltwater spectrum is reasonably similar
to the Triton's, but there are enough differences to ensure they can't be
the same tube. In fact the GE spectrum looks awfully alike a standard
tri-phospor (such as Philips Ultralume or Advantage) with a somewhat less
intense tri-phosphor component and a disproportionally strong red emission
line at 615 nm, hence the redish hue. I doubt the GE is just a repackaged
Triton. They are similar in their total light output (in PAR units) but the
GE boasts way more intense emission lines (the characteristic tri-phosphor
signature) than the Triton. The GE bulb should look a little bit brighter
(2350 initial lumens as opposed to 2200 for the Triton) but emits about
10% less PAR photons. The Triton is also bluer (20% more PAR photons in
between 400 and 500 nm).
And why a tube made by Thorn/EMI for Interpet in the UK would be re-marketed
by a competitor, GE ? Unless they merged altogether, which would not be
surprising in this era of constant merging...
As for the huge difference in perceived brightness between the FS and the
C50, this is more difficult to understand, since the C50 is rated at 2250
initial lumens and thus should look no brighter than the GE FS. Unless the
GE bulb you got is already used and dropped in intensity. Anyway, it's very
difficult to eyeball light intensities when the underlying spectrum is not
the same, and here we are comparing very different spectra (C50 vs.
tri-phosphor).
-Ivo Busko
Baltimore, MD
P.S. - all figures above are for 40 watt tubes.